Shakespeare's Head in Brighton and Hove

Very impressive change from my last visit a veeery long time ago. Plenty of outdoor space. Friendly service. Good beer.

Stopped for dinner after a hike. We weren't aware they only do Sunday roasts on Sunday, so we didn't get the food we originally planned on having. Nevertheless, roasts were really good, and we got full on them. Decent options for non alcoholic drinkers. Would definitely consider coming back if I find myself in Brighton again.

Had a great Sunday lunch here, great food, great choices, highly recommended!

Held a celebratory function here for nearly 20 people on a Saturday, the manager and team could not have been more accommodating and attentive. Lots of drinks and food from starters, sides, mains and desserts, everything was fantastic. Feedback from our guests was all very positive with a number who had never been before saying they would return for more of the same. A super atmosphere in this great little boozer, highly recommended.

Absolutamente increíble tiempo cuando visité aquí durante la calle. Fin de semana del Día de Patrick. Visitamos involuntariamente durante un fin de semana de vacaciones y tenían un montón de espacios mientras había gente actuando y tenía una gran música. La selección de comida es realmente genial, tenían especiales en el fin de semana, así como se puede mezclar y combinar sus artículos de comida. Terminamos comprando salchicha Cumberland, ajo y cheddar con salsa de tomillo y oporto. Tenga en cuenta que cuando usted está eligiendo el suyo propio puede terminar siendo un montón de sabores. No quiero olvidar mencionar, son DOG FRIENDLY!!!

Had a great family Sunday lunch at Shakies recently. The food was great with generous portions and the service and welcome were brilliant. Greatly recommend that you give it a try

Most lovely staff, always so kind and lovely every time I come. Thank you for spoiling my dog, definitely Elf's favourite pub too 🐶

Great food good atmosphere can get busy

Very cool pub, lovely decor and nice vibes. Unfortunately the food fell short for us. We waited 40 minutes for our sausage and mash and it was disappointing. I had the kemptown Irish apple and cider sausages and the texture was really weird, the sausage fell apart and was grainy, the stilton and cheddar mash was very nice though. My partner got venison sausages which were nice, but the marmite mash she had was disappointing, it did not taste of much at all. I had high hopes for shakies, but was disappointed. I wouldn't go back for food, just for a drink!

Maybe the best roast in Brighton, this pub is always a go to for us, the staff are friendly, it’s a cosy relaxed atmosphere with great drinks options and prices - couldn’t reccomend enough

Really lovely pub, great staff and atmosphere but they keep fish in a very small fish tank ! - looks very depressing and cruel, would be good if they invested in something bigger and more stimulating , fish are friends not food ! 🐡🐠🐟

Atmosphere pleasant, service good, food good

Would give it 6 stars if I could! Been a local at this place for over 2 years, one of the best places to eat and drink in Brighton overall. Everything on the menu is delish, their roasts are the best in Brighton, without a doubt. Staff are lovely, as are fellow clientele, it’s always a pleasure to be there

Great food and drink here! check it out!

Love this pub, it's got cosy, but fun atmosphere and sometimes even great Latin gigs.

Amazing Sunday Roast! Staff were incredibly kind and efficient. Even gave our pup a bowl of chicken with gravy :) would highly recommend if you’re looking for good food, good vibes, and a cozy spot.

Great selection of indie and mainstream on tap and bloody lovely Sausage and mash.

Really friendly staff and good food, thanks guys!

Nice pub. Beer a bit on the expensive side though.

One of the few dog friendly locations I could find that can be bothered to serve food on a Sunday evening. It's recommended that you pre-book your food if you want the roast. It didn't disappoint and was very tasty and a good sized portion. One of the best roasts I've had away from home. Lamb shank was delicious. A good range of beers.

Lovely friendly pub, with wonderful welcoming staff. Had a really great roast here, pork was cooked to perfection! Defo recommended I'd you're in Brighton. Love that it's dog friendly and just has a super cool atmosphere

Lovely cosy pub (open fire) with friendly helpful staff and excellent food. Would definitely go back. Great discovery!

Bangers and mash took 50 minutes to serve. This seemed to be the case for other patrons as well who were frustrated. Mashed potatoes were microwaved. One other patron asked the employee (shown in the photos) at the bar if she could check on the food, she replied, "sure will check on that for you" and proceeded to immediately go to pet someone's dog (again, see photos). This employee repeatedly pet this dog and went back to serving customers food and drink, even eating her own food with her hands (bread with dip) but without washing her hands between petting the dog and preparing orders. We were appalled by this blatant disregard for basic hygiene at a food and beverage establishment. For this reason alone, we would not recommend this pub.

Acabo de mudarme a la zona. ¡Este pub es genial! El mejor happy hour 1600 a 1900 de lunes a jueves. Gran personal cálido del bar. Un incendio de leña. Área de tiendas de campaña y cabinas en la parte delantera y calefacción - ideal para fumadores, aunque a algunas personas les gusta sentarse allí. Hemos tenido el almuerzo del domingo. Excelente comida casera. Es una gran idea reservar ya que están muy ocupados.

Went for a roast on Sunday as walk ins, turned up about 1pm and we were able to sit outside. Very reasonable prices for a roast - 13.95 for a vegetarian nut roast, also like that they differentiate between vegan/veggie - means cauli cheese is included! Roast was lovely, came out fairly quickly , hot with loads of gravy. Service was very friendly. Definitely recommend!

Wonderfully welcoming staff and incredibly dog-friendly! The Veggie and Vegan roasts are amazing; full of flavour and beautifully prepared. The team went above and beyond, with the chef (or maybe the owner) even bringing out a full roast dinner just for our dog, who absolutely loved it! It was such a thoughtful gesture that really touched us. The atmosphere here is warm and inviting—definitely recommend!

Went to see The Bedford Celts play this evening. Brilliant music as always but also a lovely atmosphere. The bar service was fast and the staff were great. A great night. We weren’t able to eat as they were fully booked but we knew that before we went so can’t review the food (but it looked lush!)

Good but seats need to be a lot better. Tiny bar stools are not comfortable

Best sausage and mash l have had in a long time. 😋😋

Came here with my brother recently. Best experience of vibe & food. Thankyou !

No puedo calificar este lugar lo suficientemente alto. Me encanta el establecimiento. El ambiente era ideal para la delicia de la comida, se sentía tan cálido y feliz después de ! gracias!

Loved this place. Had the chorizo sausages with sage gravy, and the food, service and beer were all toppest notch. Highly recommended 😎

Me encanta el pub y la comida, sin duda volveré, y ya he recomendado a otros a hacer lo mismo. Precioso servicio en el bar, rápida llegada de comida, muy agradable para el almuerzo del domingo en familia y genial para cualquier tipo de salchicha que desee probar. Solo un pub fácil con opciones vegetarianas y veganas también, así que inténtalo

Love it here such a great pub and lovely service. Delicious food and great outdoor areas.

The best Sunday roast one can find in Brighton. The staff were loveliest, and the ambience was the finest. And the roast was so fresh❤️❤️❤️

Delicious sausage and mash, loved all the choices.

Lovely staff, didn't have food but went there late night. The bar staff were pleasant and also helped charge my phone when asking them. The atmosphere was busy but warm and very welcoming. Had no issues, no trouble even though it was late in the night.

Recomendado por un amigo, así que pensé que mi marido y yo lo intentaríamos! Absolutamente deliciosa comida, servicio amable, y muy buenos precios! Muchas gracias Caroline y el personal! Volverá Deffo xxx

Fab Sunday roast, lamb shank and pork belly with all the trimmings. A real gem, fab staff and caroline very responsive to e mails. Loved the place. Deffo will be returning.My only neg was that they didnt have rose by the bottle , but on a positive the malbec was lovely. I'm 5.3 and my legs didn't reach the floor on outside tables so had to shuffle down on the bench! 🤣🤣🤣 well worth a visit, recommend highly

Loved the Bangers and Mash! Really something and very tasty! Lots of different options of bangers and mash to choose from. Staff were very friendly and we enjoyed the atmosphere. Definitely worth checking out!

I went on a sunny evening the last week of June and I spend a delightful moment. The staff is very friendly and the food was absolutely delicious (and I'm French). Un coup de coeur !

La comida de mierda parecía que no había pasión detrás de ella, el personal encantador del bar, sin embargo, no lo recomendaría si tienes hambre, pero es agradable pasar por una copa o dos

My go to weekday casual dinner spot! Affordable sausage, mash and gravy is their speciality, with a variety of options to choose from. Great local atmosphere. No watery gravy in sight! Service can sometimes be a little slow at peak times as I understand they have a small kitchen, but it's worth the wait! I recommend downloading the PUBBL app - you can collect points on drinks and food here to use at many pubs across Brighton. Still hoping that the life changing black bean sausage of the week I had last year will make another appearance 🙏

Perfect place to sit with a pint!

Super cute place! Staff are very friendly and food was amazing!

Amazing Sunday roast, really hardworking and lovely staff <3

Fantastic staff and a great atmosphere 👍🏻

Awesome service, really nice and friendly service. One of my favourite pubs

Great place to have a bite in Brighton. Kind staff and fair prices. I ordered the bangers n mash and the battered cauliflower and they were both delicious. The atmosphere was nice, as it isn't too noisy unlike other pubs. Would reccomend.

We've been for roasts a few times now. Lovely atmosphere and a good roast. Between us we've had beef, pork, lamb and two of the vegan options. All come with reasonable portion of veg, very nice roast potatoes and nicely presented. Nice vibe inside and not bad outside on a sunny day. Gets quite busy so do book.

Nice atmosphere, friendly bar staff and...a sausage, gravy and mash menu! Veggie and vegan choices and with a serving of perfectly cooked kale. Delish. Check it out!

Yummy roast. Nice environment and friendly staff. I'd recommend it for a Sunday pub sesh!

After walking up the long hill we decided to pop in for a quick cold beer. Ordered one cider and a birra moretti and went to the garden. They were not cold so I took them back the bar and told the guy the drinks were not cold. He responded with it might be the glasses .. he pour a bit of beer of and commented that I was right they were not “ice cold” but cool … Wasn’t offered any replacement or refund or apology so I left the two pints that cost £14 ish and left to find another place with a cold beer. Will not return Disappointing

This is our go-to pub whenever we have visitors staying with us. It’s been enjoyed by everyone we’ve taken there so far. Veggie bangers and mash are the best and the Sunday veggie roast is delicious too. No other pub in the area compares for these vegetarian takes on classic pub dishes.

Great atmospheric pub, that always feels full of locals when I visit. Sausage and mash variations on the menu are always fantastic

Had the best big fat enormous veggie sausages ever here. I chose the veggie Cumberland but they had run out so I went for leek and Stilton. So glad I did - they were fantastic. Great plate of food. The gravy was a bit overpowering (very sweet and vinegary) but looked beautiful and I still enjoyed it.

If you are a sausage lover during the week this is the place for you. We ce here regularly as their Sunday roast is great, they have options for vegans and vegetarians. They staff are great they even serve my little doggie left over beef.

Great pub with excellent choices of bangers and mash, so many different! Really good!

My friends and I came in today on a whim for a roast and we were blown away! The pub was super busy but still the service was still quick and phenomenal. The roast was amazing, I got the lamb and it was massive so tasty. This is definitely going to be my go to spot from now on!

We booked for a group of 15 for dinner on a Saturday evening with plenty of notice. When we arrived we had been allocated 3 different tables scattered around the pub and two spaces at the bar stools in the window. They moved some tables around but even then we only managed to sit together because two of our group couldn't make it. We then ordered our food, each having to order individually at the bar, so we expected the food may not all come out together. However, the food service was so terrible that they were bringing out one order at a time, with such long gaps in between that the ones with food had finished eating long before the next orders were bought out. In the end, it took about 1.5 hours until the final order was served. Two friends ended up having to ask for a refund and leave without eating as they needed to get home. Once it arrived, the food was delicious, but the service really was awful.

Brilliant pub! Fun, busy night for keyboard karaoke, amazing food and staff.

Great Sunday roast! We had a veggie and vegan nut roast and they were amazing! Cosy pub with a fire and great atmosphere. I'd recommend you book as there's limited seating inside.

Great pub for a nice cozy pint. The food it really good too, although I prefer it in winter. They are family friendly, and the fish tank helps, but the lay out is a little harder with younger kids

A very decent pub that's tucked away off the busy Seven Dials area. Doesn't look great from the exterior, but it's much more welcoming inside. Beer selection is bog standard, mind.

Nice nice atmosphere great Latin live bands

This pub is great. It had a bit of a makeover a few years ago and now it's one big room. Have been going here for years. They used to have a great/strange artwork model of Shakespeare that looked just like my dear friend Russell Fey Jones. Both sadly now gone ❤️. it is noisy in there tho, so don't go if you want a quiet one. Usually have one or 2 ales at a good fair price.

One of the best roast I’ve had recently, considering the big choices we have in Brighton. Each vegetable has its own flavour and gravy was top 🔝. I had chicken and wasn’t dry at all! Have come earlier and have to wait for a bit(as our booking time wasn’t until 30 min later and there were really busy) but worth the waiting. You should book if you don’t want to miss this!

Cozy pub with a fire. Does a wide variety of different sausages and mash as it's novelty food.

Love it! Probably my favourite pub in Brighton! And the banger and mash. OMG they are to die for!

Wow, what an amazing pub! Just had a wonderful Sunday roast, service great - food delicious - landlady Caroline very welcoming... five stars all round 😊

Such a lovely, friendly pub. The roast was scrumptious. I will be back!

Shakespeares Head is my local and been coming here for years - pre and post refurb 💕 Staff have always been amazing and are part of our local community - people know you and your Max to feel welcome Service great atmosphere great Food great Lucky to have this place on my doorstep🥰

Doth thou luvest the most adorable madam!

Haven't been here for ages...the bangers and mash was delish...service very good...and the ambience welcoming twinkling and clean...Will definitely be going again

I used to go to the Shakespeare’s head all the time. I’m very local and I used to love it. However I have visited it numerous times since the new opening. They have done a good job inside but every time I’ve been there the manager I guess a female is always very rude and brash and it seems to have lost the atmosphere there used to be. When I started to go back I thought maybe it’s just teething problems, but I found her just generally not bothered with what she’s doing and on several times she’s been sitting in the bar area with her mates, making a lot of noise and generally not interested in what’s going on around her , just thought I’d voice my opinion which I don’t normally do, but I feel that this needs to be addressed

Cannot recommend this roast more. I would go as so far to say it’s the best pub roast I’ve ever had. So delicious, perfectly cooked, great vegetarian options and the most delicious sticky toffee pudding desert. Great vibes too

Happy hour is decent, the prices are reasonable and the house wine is nice. Food is great, even though it can take a long time to arrive. However, the vibes are DEAD. The heaters outside are on a 45 second timer so you have to hit the button loads to stay warm. The seating inside is mainly stools and the gardens are built to pack people to max capacity instead of enjoyment. You're locked into uncomfortable seats to maximise their profits in getting more bums on seats. Love the staff, hate the management xox

They make Sausage and mash onto an art form. So many mash/gravy/sausage combo's on choice. Only problem is how long to wait for your dinner? Almost an hour and there was only one other table of 2 eating. Diabolical. ,

Lovely Sunday lunch. A bit of a wait after ordering but worth it. Food is excellent and the pub itself is really nice. The lamb shank more than lived up to expectations. The inclusion of a large Yorkshire pudding was much appreciated.

One of my favourite locals, the food is always very good and the atmosphere is chilled and welcoming .

Had a really nice Sunday roast and the bartender called Gemma was great at advising us on what to get. Lovely service and great staff! X

fantastic food, best roast dinner ever. lovely stuff

Superb roast- fantastic veggie options And top class service from Gemma

I cannot believe we have never been here before. What a find! And yes the whole choosing your sausage & mash & gravy has been done before, but when you find a glorious pub that does not only that but choose your filling & batter…well! It’s a whole different level!! I think we worked out you could have over 300 combinations of just one meal. And it was delicious food. Plus an array of really interesting sides-like beerkins-makes this place a truly lovely one. Great staff, superb wine & generally a beautiful set up….fabulous.

Food was tasty but I would prefer more mash less sausage. The chilli sausages are huge! We were cramped on a wonky table in the corner, and it wasn't the best table to eat at.

Is the best or one the best pubs in Brighton! Such attentive lovely staff and amazing food at a reasonable price!! Highly recommend

After 2 hours waiting, we were told they had run out of mash and it would be replaced with extra chips…and after 2.5hrs this was what we got. Each meal contained incorrect ingredients as they evidently had run out of most items. I’ve had two great meals here in the past and the staff tried their best but it was the most disappointing eating experience I’ve ever had. EDIT: I’d like to shoutout the manager who has been in touch with us following the meal. Really appreciate the extra effort to follow-up and ask us back to give them the chance to do better. Awesome customer service!

Great pub! Good atmosphere and friendly staff

My friends and I all had vegan nut roasts which were delicious and big portions, and came out super speedy. The bar staff and cook who delivered the food were all lovely and really accommodating of my two dogs. Great experience will be coming here again ☺️

This pub is amazing. It’s like Brighton pub’s used to be. Lively, friendly, staff who know how to have fun whilst providing excellent service. A great mix of customers, banging music, solid delicious inexpensive food. It’s great, highly recommend.

This is the best place on a Sunday. And a Saturday. And a Friday, Thursday... YOU GET THE IDEA. Food is top but it's the vibe that makes my feet take me there. A cracking boozer.

Bar staff are always accommodating and friendly - Great place for a Sunday roast!

Super sad - we booked a table for 8pm to eat. We ordered almost straight away and had to wait over 2hours for our food. We asked for some bags of crisps to help tide us over at 1.5hrs of waiting and were refused. They eventually gave us a refund after it got to 2hours and were given some drinks, but the damage was done. We were also told during the refund that they had no more mash (we’d all ordered sausages and mash ), so they supplemented it with chips. We came here for the sausages and mash because it was recommended (and the reviews were good), but ended up having one of the worst restaurant experiences we’ve had. The people were lovely but it doesn’t deserve anything more than a one star review.

They claim to have the best bangers and mash but it’s terrible. The pub is nice enough but it all went wrong when we ordered the food. An hours wait for the food (we ordered at 8.15 when it was quiet) and when it finally came out it was dry. When I made my complaints to the staff they were complacent and said it was not their fault as the food/kitchen is from a different company and ‘not their responsibility’. Do not go!!!

Booked a table. And pre-order the food. Food nice but not worthy enough to wait for one hour and half. When we asked the waiters they apologised about the wait. However, they didn't update us about what was happening. Just 5 minutes prior our food arrive they updated. Poor communication.

They offer sausages and fish, at the point of ordering we were informed that the fish was off the menu as well as 4 of the 7 or 8 sausages on offer, also one 9f the 4 red wines was also off the menu we waited an hour and a half to be served, an hour after placing our order we were informed that one of the dishes ordered was not available and we were shortchanged on the reimbursement (only by 50p but ...) asked to speak to the manager and were told he wasn't working that night.

Amazing place especially for sausage and mash or Sunday roast one of the best in Brighton . The atmosphere is warm and cosy, the beer is good and the staff are friendly. The veggie options are exceptional. Edit:changed Bristol to Brighton as I made a slight mistake in the initial review (though having lived in bristol also, it's probably one of the best in either)

Loved the spice sausage and mustard mash. Very good choice of beers. Service was excellent. We will definitely go back.

Really enjoyed Sunday roast at this nice pub just outside the busy streets of Brighton! We were here the Brighton Pride weekend so the atmosphere was very nice and chilled! Amazing food, my pork roast was delicious and a great combination of veggies in the plate! Definitely recommended :)

People come to this pub for the several different types of sausages on offer, which forms part of a meal package. Pick your sausage, pick your mashed potato, pick your gravy. There are 7-8 different types of combinations so you’ll never get bored deciding which combo to have each time! They have vegan sausages too!